Obstructive sleep apnea (hereinafter “OSA”) is a medical condition characterized by complete or partial blockage of the upper airway during sleep. The obstruction may be related to relaxation of soft tissues and muscles in or around the throat (e.g., the soft palate, back of the tongue, tonsils, uvula, and pharynx) during sleep. OSA episodes may occur multiple times per night and disrupt the patient's sleep cycle. Suffers of chronic OSA may experience sleep deprivation, excessive daytime sleepiness, chronic fatigue, headaches, snoring, and hypoxia.
Mandibular advancement devices (also referred to as mandibular splints or mandibular advancement splints) have been proposed to treat OSA. A mandibular advancement device is worn in the mouth over the teeth of the upper and/or lower jaws. The device treats sleep apnea by advancing the lower jaw in an anterior direction relative to the upper jaw. This advancement may tighten the tissues of the upper airway, and inhibit airway obstruction during sleep.
In some instances, however, existing mandibular advancement devices for treating OSA may produce undesirable side effects, such as tooth repositioning, jaw discomfort, and muscle strain. For these reasons, it would be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus for treating obstructive sleep apnea and snoring. In particular, it would be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatus which provide mandibular advancement with decreased undesirable side effects, such as tooth repositioning, jaw discomfort, and muscle strain.